In some cases, a mix or remix could be considered a separate “musical work” and therefore, if you have recorded the mix or remix, it will be protected by copyright—this would be separate from the copyrights in the material used for the mix. Generally, you will own copyright in the new work. However, you will also generally need permission from the owners of copyright in any “underlying” pieces of music and recordings.

Someone rapping over a mix or remix will generally own copyright in their rap, but a freestyle rap will only be protected by copyright if it is recorded in some way—for example, if it is written out or taped.

A publisher that gives you permission to remix a piece or put out a rap version of a song they publish may require you to assign copyright in what you have created to it: this is generally the case also with arrangements of pieces of music.

(Note again that we are not referring to the sort of mixing done by record producers or audio engineers when they are mixing a sound recording.)